Friday Photo

Seasons Changing

The past several days have been absolutely perfect around here!  The kids and I have been spending our days outside soaking it all up and enjoying each other.  Much playing.  Much laughing.  Much love.

Cookie of the Week::Easy Peanut Butter Drops

When I was in middle school, my brother and I stayed home by ourselves each summer.  All summer.  In the middle of nowhere with no TV and no internet.  By the time mid-July rolled around, we'd already read our 100 chapter books for the library and would find ourselves with nothing better to do in the hot Southern summer than wander aimlessly around the house.  Literally. 

I made these peanut butter cookies for the first time in the sixth grade.  And then Matthew and I proceeded to eat them all and make another batch...

We ate many a peanut butter cookie and a ridiculous amount grilled cheese sandwiches those summers.  Not only are these really tasty and very simple, they also only contain three ingredients.  Seriously.

Easy Peanut Butter Drops

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 325.  Mix all three ingredients and drop by the teaspoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 20 min.  

Friday Photo

Soccer

We all went to the soccer game Tuesday night.  It was nice to be out in the pleasant weather, and Noah managed to find a pile of sand and dirt to play in.

However, near the end of the game, he settled in on the hill to clap and cheer the girls on.

A Trip to the Park

We went to the park the other day to play with my friend.  After he went home, Mama said we could stay a little longer.

Playing on the slides is fun, but what I like best is digging.

I can do all kinds of things while I dig.  

Sometimes your knees get dirty, but Mama says that's OK, 'cause they wash.

I like to scratch around in the rocks with a stick.  The park always has really great sticks.

 Peekaboo is fun, too, especially when it makes Kathrynne laugh.

Going to the park is so much fun that sometimes when we have to go home, I cry.

Mama says it's ok to be sad, but to remember that we can always come back.  

Maybe tomorrow?

Cookie of the Week::Donut Cookies

My boy loves donuts.  All donuts, but most especially donut holes.  I can't really blame him (since I agree fully).  After I made these last week, I placed some in a bowl on the table, and after getting a good look at them, Noah's face lit up as he said, "Donuts!"

Well, no not really, but if you add a couple of extra tablespoons of butter to the mix, they do kind of have the same texture as donuts...

Sandies (Donut Cookies)

Cream 1 cup of butter (you can add a couple of extra tablespoons if you like) with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar (or more);  add 2 tablespoons of water.  Mix.  Add two cups All-Purpose flour.  Mix well (until crumbly).  

Roll into one-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  You can place them very close together because they do not spread.  Bake at 300* for 20-25 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned.  Immediately roll in confectioners' sugar and place on a cooling rack.  These are best eaten in large quantities while hot before anyone else realizes you have made them.

Friday Photo

Eight Months

Eight Months.  It has really flown by!  She's such a sweet little girl (and always on the move).  She's just days away from sitting up on her own, and if those teeth ever come in, she'll be eating everything we're willing to feed her.

Sweet baby Kathrynne.  We love you!

Cookie of the Week::Cinnamon Snaps

Cookies.  We go through a lot of them here.  I grew up on homemade cookies (you should visit my mother over at The Cookie Lady), and I think they are the best.  Noah loves to spend time with me in the kitchen, and making cookies is one of our favorites things to do in there.  We try different recipes depending on what I have in the pantry.

Last week we tried these New Northland Cookies from my Betty Crocker Cooky Book.  They are wonderful!  They taste a little like Snickerdoodles without the Cream of Tartar.  I call them Cinnamon Snaps because it's easier to say than New Northland, and I think it's a better description of the flavor.  These aren't too very cinnamon-y because the recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies and you only use 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, but I found it to be just the right amount of Autumn.

New Northland cookies (Cinnamon Snaps)

1/2 c shortening (part butter)

1 c packed brown sugar

1/4 c cold water

2 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix sugar and shortening thoroughly.  Stir in cold water.  Blend dry ingredients and add to shortening mixture.  Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Heat oven to 400.  Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls.  Place on cookie sheet and flatten with fingers into 2 inch disks.  Bake 6-8 minutes until lightly brown.

**Do not over bake these!  You want them to be a little soft when you pull them out so they will be chewy.

Now, enjoy them warm with a glass of milk!